Vertical-retort smelting furnace



April 2.1, w25. 1,534,935

F. FIECHTL. ET AL VERTICAL EETORT SMELTING FURNACE Filed Feb. 18 1312; 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 21, 1925, 1,534,935

F. FlECHTLET AL.

VERTICAL RETORT SMELTING FURNAUE April 21, 1925,

F. Fleck-m.. TAL] VERTICAL RETQRT SPIELTING FUHNCE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 18l 1924 @www abbot ne April 21, 1925. 3,534,935

l F. FIECHTL ET AL.

VERTICAL RETORT SMELTING FURNAcEw Filed Feb. 18, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet ,4

Ill

Patented dpr. l) W25."

nnrrnn nennen rnnlnrnerin or ennnnrvntn, nenses, nien Witwen nerirnnmrenie, or

" sr. rnerrcois, rrrsscunr.

primat-curled February le, ien/L Serial No. 693,663. .l

To aZZ whom t may; coflwerin:

Be it known that We,y Fenniiinno Fincii'ri, and'WILLiAi/r Kerrniinmenn, citizens of the United States sind "Germany, respectively, residing et Cherry/vele und St. Francois, respectivelya in the counties of Montgomery end St. Francois?` respectively7 end @tutes of Kansas and Missouri, respectively9 here in vented new and useful improvements in Verticaldietort Smelting Furnaces, of which the following is e. specificetion.

This invention relates td 'improvements in smelting furnaces of the 'Vertical retort type, particularly adopted for the reduction of zinc. i.

in object of the invention resides in the provision or e snee ting` furiniee7 which includes e dcublefttinr of `superimposed retorts which increases tire'cepecity of the furnace in addition te working oli the chui-ge incre thoroughly..

Another object of the invention 1s the provision of novel ineens for sealing the bot-v toni of the retorts and for providing these.

bottoins with liared or bell-shaped ends.

Another ob]ect of the inventionresides in the novel arrangement of the retorts,

whereby the zinc vapors ere directed into e common filtering' chamber und from there into condensors, Ineens being` provided whereby one or more of the retoi'ts muy he eliminated when desired.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of convenient means iorcleoning the retorts Without removing the condensors and. in ineens whereby the bottoms of the retorts muy be opened and' closed simultaneously or individually es desired.

Another' object of the invention is the provision of ineens included in the sealing means for the hottoinsof theretorts Jfor keeping the said bottoms cool.

Another Object of the invention resides in .forming the charge into hriquetted cylindrical form having an opening in the center,

which opening provides the double advantege of forming e passage for the vapors und `for more readily Working ed the charge ,due .to/the hollow formation of the briquet.

A further object-is the provision of novel ineens for reiner/'liner the' residue or exhausted charge from the ish hoppers of the furnace and for providing ineens 'or the removel of slag formations and forinspeo tion dttlie interior ci" tno furnace... i

`imiirted out in the .With'the above and other obiects in'view, the invention further includes the following novel tentures end details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustreted in the accompanying drew'ingsend nppended claims. in the dreifviny'sz-n Figure lis e. View partly in front elevetion end partly insection illustrating e portion ol' e smeltinn; 'urnecefconstructed in eccordence with the invention. A

Figure 2 is n verticali sectional View teken et right ongles to Figure l. 'n .Figure 3 is e. section on the line SW2 o Figure 3..

,Figure l is en enlarged fragmentary sec tional View showing the mannerof sealing the bottoms oi the retorts.

Figure 5 iso section on the linev 5-5 of Figure 2. i

Figure 6 is en enlarged ruginentery View nections.. l

e Figure 7 is en enlargedfragmentary seetionnl View of the connection het-Ween one of the retort bottoni controlling arms and its shaft.

Figure 8 is anenlnrged fragmentary sec-' tional viewillustrating the ineens whereby the retort closures 'maybe controlled.

Referring to the drawings in detail Wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding perts, the improved furnace as shown comprises wells l0 which nre provided With un inner lining 1l olire erick and :in intermediate loyer l2 of insulating brick, e bottoni 13, u top weh or arch lll and intermediate arches l5, the last named arches being, supported upon the lining ll of the riii cylinder and its' operating con- 'und partitions 16.

ing 20. These openings connnuniefeite with l a. filter chamber 21 which surroundsthe top section oi the retorts so that the zinc vapor will pass from the retorts through the openings into the filtering chamber and :from this chunibevr to condensers 22, from` itl mounted upon the furnace.

elle

where the zinc is drawn ott in liquid forni7 as Well be readily understoody by those familiar witlrthe art. rlhe upper ends of the retorts are provided with openings 23 which are designed to receive tapered plugs or closures 245 the latter being of suitable lire-proof material and having a snug lit within the openings 23. The arches lo are provided with openings for the passage of the retorts, the seid openings being of relatively large diameter, while the retorts .are spaced fronowthe Walls of the opening by Vmeans of lugs 25 so as to provide for the passage of gases and permit the said gases to circulate freely about the retorts. The rctorts are-slightly tapered for the purpose f reducing friction between the retort and the charge.

The charge is supplied to the retort preferably in the forni of circular briquets QG having, o eningsQ extending therethrough. 'These brouets are preferably mounted upon .cersoif trucks 28 Which operate over rails 29 The briquets may be inserted Within the retorts by ineens of rods passed 'through the openings 27, the said briquets beinea lowered inteposition and the rods withdrawn, While the residue will be disposed of in a manner hereinafter described. The Walls l() are provided with openings 28 through which access may be had to the interior of the furnace, the openings being normally closed by Vtiles 29.

The lower ends of the retorts communicate with flared openings 30 provided in the bottoni 13 of the furnace and these openings are closed by valves or closures 3l, each of which engages a' plate 32 located at the bottoni of the dared openings 30. rlhis plate is provided with upper and lower seats 33 and 3d respectively which are engaged by the valve 3l to close they bottoni of the rctorts. The upper sent 33 when engaged by the valve 3l acts to prevent the escape of the charge, While the valve is surrounded between the upper and lower seat with a water or other liquid seal arranged within chamber 35, the latter being formed betWeenf the valve and the plate SQQ Liquid is supplied to this chamber through a -suitable supply pipe 86 and a passage 37,A

the.: said water or liquid passing outthrough an tshaped passage 38, the upper or dief charge end of which regulates the amount of jwater Within the chamber The valves are rotatably supported upon rods 3?, the latter being movable through The rods 3T are engaged by arins or levers Si) secured to sh fts 40, the securing means being in the forni of pins 4l. The shafts -iO extend through the furnace and c'arry arms lfdr controlling a row or series of retorts so that. the valves 3l of a row or series may be simultaneously operated. By removing spidersor `guides 38.

adapted to rsa/ieee l any of the. pins il the particular valve ol. any of the retorts will be free froin opcration by its shaft Ll0 and the valve may be held in closed position by nieans of a dog` 42 which engages the arm or lever 239 of the valve disconnected. The piu L,il is olf a determined shearing strength and should the rock-ing movement of the shaft di() for any reason be .excessive7 the pin will be shearod oil so that no other .damage lwill be effected.

The shaft t() has secured thereto a lever or arin 43. This lever or arni i3 carries a pin del which is adapted for engagement with a slot provided in a bar l, the engagement of the pin within this slot being controlled by a handle or lever 4G. The bar l5 is connected to the piston rod of an air cyl-- indcr 47 which is controlled by a valve d8. This valve has securedthcreto an arin 49 having an operating rod 50 connected thereto to provide controlling ineans for the air cylinder, whereby the valves 3l of a rouof retorts niay be simultaneously controlled and the exhausted charge discharged. from the retorts. As before stated, any particular retort may be cut out by disconnecting the arm or lever 39 from the shaft d0, While the retort so cut out is adapted to have its opening 2() closed by a tile 5l, as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The exhausted charges from the retorts are directed into hoppers 52 from where they pass into conveyor pipes 53, the resi due being forced through these pipes by air from nozzles 54. These nozzles are carried by branch pipes which extend from a conin mon supply'pipe 55 and each nozzle controlled by a valve 56.

The furnace is ad'tpted to utilize dillorent fuels, such as natural gas, producer gas and pulrerizcd coalY the fuel being fed to the furnace through pipes 5T having burners 5S extending' therefrom the latter being arranged in vertical rows und controlled by valyes 59.

The furnace is bred from one end, the gases rising to the top, while a uniform heat is provided throughout the combustion chambers of the furnace through the arrangement of the burners 58.

Ylibe invention is susceptible of'various changes in its forni, propuntions and minor details of construction and the right is here-- in reserved to nialce such changes as properly fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is l. lu a sincltingfurnace7 vert-ical retorts of sectional formation. one section being disl litt? diameter et the retots and spacing elements between the retorts and walls of the open-- ings to provide passages.

2. n a smeltlng furnace? vertically clisposed etorts, Velves for closing the bottoms ot the retorts, means for operatingthe valves and a combined sealing and cooling means for the Valves. l

3. In a. smeltixg furnace, vertically disposed 1etorts,'e movable bottom for each of the retorts, said bottom including' spacedV valve faces, spaced. seats at the lower end of each of the 'retots for engagement by-A said faces and .e liquid sealing agent for the lowcl` fece and seat; in e smeitmggfurnace, vertically disugent Vs1lmowlding the movable bottom be tween the seats.

5. ln a charge for smeltng furnaces, L briquette having an'opening therein to provde a passage and 'to facilitate handling of the charge.

In testimony whereof We ufllx our signatures.

FERMNAND FECHTL. WILLIAM KAPPELLMANN. 

